Obesity — a scathing underlying condition that may lead to a variety of diseases — is found to be affecting nearly one in every five US children, as per a new study.
A report published in JAMA Network Open revealed a shocking truth about children living across the US, which may pose a significant threat to their health.
The study found that nearly 20% of American children ranging between the age of 2-19 are obese.
Lead researcher and pediatrician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee Dr. William Heerman, stated, “In 2024, excess youth overweight and obesity remained highly prevalent among youths in the U.S.
For the new study, scientists assessed data on over six million children collected by eight clinical research networks in 2024.
Results indicated that nearly 27% of 2-5-year-olds and just under 39% of teenagers and young adults were suffering from obesity and were overweight.
In all, nearly 9% of teenagers and young adults were severely obese.
Nearly 59% of white youths, 52% of Black young people, 50% of American Indian/Alaska Native youths, 49% of Hispanic youths, 47% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander youths were found to be healthy.
“These results demonstrate the uneven distribution of obesity and severe obesity across youths in the U.S. and underscore the need for ongoing treatment, prevention and public health interventions to reduce excess adiposity in youths,” the study concluded.
Children suffering from obesity are at a significantly higher risk of asthma, hypertension, fatty liver disease, cardiac disorders, joint pain and depression.
